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By integrating Google Drive with ZappWay, you can use your files or folders contained in your Drive. ZappWay automatically synchronizes the linked data to keep your AI employee updated.
💡 ZappWay use and transfer of information received from Google APIs to any other app will adhere to Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
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Overview

The Google Drive integration allows you to seamlessly connect your Google Drive account to ZappWay, enabling your AI Employee to access and learn from your stored documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files.

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Supported File Types

  • Documents: Google Docs, PDFs, Word files (.doc, .docx)
  • Spreadsheets: Google Sheets, Excel files (.xls, .xlsx)
  • Presentations: Google Slides, PowerPoint files (.ppt, .pptx)
  • Text Files: Plain text (.txt), Markdown (.md)
  • Images: PNG, JPEG (with OCR text extraction)

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Quick Start

1

Access Datastores

Navigate to Datastores in your ZappWay dashboard
2

Create New Datastore

Click “Create Datastore” and give it a descriptive name
3

Add Google Drive Source

Click “Add Datasource” → Select “Google Drive”
4

Authorize Access

Sign in with your Google account and grant ZappWay read-only access
5

Select Files or Folders

Choose specific files or entire folders to sync
6

Process & Train

Files are automatically processed and made available to your AI Employee

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Features

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Automatic Syncing

  • Real-time Updates: Changes in Google Drive are automatically reflected
  • Selective Sync: Choose specific folders or files to include
  • Version Control: Latest document versions are always used

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Privacy & Security

  • Read-Only Access: ZappWay only reads your files, never modifies them
  • OAuth 2.0: Secure authentication via Google’s official protocol
  • Revocable Access: Disconnect anytime from Google account settings

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File Processing

  • Smart Extraction: Automatic text extraction from all supported formats
  • OCR Support: Extract text from images and scanned documents
  • Structure Preservation: Maintains document hierarchy and formatting

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Step-by-Step Guide

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1. Create a Datastore

  1. Go to Datastores page
  2. Click “Create Datastore”
  3. Enter a name (e.g., “Company Knowledge Base”)
  4. Click “Create”

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2. Connect Google Drive

  1. Inside your datastore, click “Add Datasource”
  2. Select “Google Drive” from the list
  3. Click “Connect Google Drive”
  4. Sign in to your Google account
  5. Review the permissions and click “Allow”
Permissions Requested:
  • View and download files from Google Drive (read-only)
  • View metadata of files (name, modified date, etc.)

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3. Select Content

Option A: Select Specific Files
  1. Browse your Google Drive folders
  2. Check individual files you want to include
  3. Click “Add Selected Files”
Option B: Sync Entire Folders
  1. Navigate to a folder
  2. Click “Sync This Folder”
  3. All files in the folder (and subfolders) will be synced
Option C: Use Search
  1. Use the search bar to find specific files
  2. Select from search results
  3. Add to your datastore

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4. Configure Sync Settings

  • Auto-sync: Enable to automatically sync changes (recommended)
  • Sync Frequency: Choose how often to check for updates
  • File Types: Filter which file types to include
  • Size Limit: Set maximum file size to process

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5. Process Files

  1. Click “Start Processing”
  2. Files are analyzed and indexed
  3. Progress bar shows processing status
  4. Receive notification when complete

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6. Assign to AI Employee

  1. Go to your AI Employee settings
  2. Navigate to Tools section
  3. Enable “Datastore” tool
  4. Select your Google Drive datastore
  5. Save changes

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Use Cases

Company Documentation

Train your AI on internal wikis, policies, and procedures stored in Google Drive

Customer Support

Use product manuals, FAQs, and support docs from Drive to answer customer questions

Sales Enablement

Access sales scripts, case studies, and product sheets for better lead qualification

Research & Analysis

Query research papers, reports, and datasets stored in shared drives

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Best Practices

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Organization

Organize files into logical folders (e.g., “Product Docs”, “Sales Materials”, “Support Articles”)
Use descriptive file names that include keywords (e.g., “Product_X_User_Guide_v2.pdf”)
Append version numbers or dates to file names for better tracking

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Content Quality

  • Keep Files Updated: Regularly review and update outdated documents
  • Remove Duplicates: Delete old versions to avoid conflicting information
  • Use Structured Formats: Well-formatted documents yield better AI responses

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Performance

  • Limit File Size: Large files (>50MB) take longer to process
  • Selective Syncing: Only sync relevant folders to reduce processing time
  • Regular Audits: Remove unnecessary files from synced folders

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Troubleshooting

Solutions:
  • Check if auto-sync is enabled
  • Verify Google Drive permissions haven’t been revoked
  • Ensure files aren’t in “Trash” or restricted folders
  • Try manually triggering a sync
Causes:
  • Large number of files queued
  • Very large individual files (>50MB)
  • Complex file formats (e.g., heavily formatted documents)
Solutions:
  • Process files in smaller batches
  • Reduce file size by compressing images
  • Split large documents into smaller sections
Solutions:
  • Re-authorize the Google Drive connection
  • Check if files are in a shared drive you don’t own
  • Verify you have at least “Viewer” access to the files
  • Check if organization policies block third-party apps
Checklist:
  • Confirm the datastore is assigned to your AI Employee
  • Verify the “Datastore” tool is enabled
  • Check if files were successfully processed (green checkmark)
  • Ensure the information exists in the synced files
  • Try rephrasing the question

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Security & Compliance

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Data Protection

  • Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest (AES-256)
  • No Storage: Files are processed and indexed; originals remain in Google Drive
  • Access Control: Only authorized users in your organization can access datastores

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Compliance

  • GDPR Compliant: EU data protection standards
  • SOC 2: Industry-standard security controls
  • HIPAA Available: Contact sales for healthcare compliance

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Disconnecting

To revoke ZappWay’s access to Google Drive:
  1. Go to Google Account Permissions
  2. Find “ZappWay” in the list
  3. Click “Remove Access”
  4. Existing data in ZappWay remains until manually deleted

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Limits & Quotas

PlanFiles per DatastoreTotal StorageSync Frequency
Free50100 MBDaily
Starter200500 MBHourly
Professional1,0005 GBReal-time
EnterpriseUnlimitedCustomReal-time

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FAQ

Yes! You can sync files from both “My Drive” and shared drives where you have at least viewer access.
The next sync will automatically remove it from your datastore, and the AI will no longer reference it.
Yes, you can add the same files to multiple datastores without consuming extra storage.
Depends on the number and size of files:
  • 10-50 files: 1-5 minutes
  • 100-500 files: 10-30 minutes
  • 1000+ files: 1-2 hours
Yes! Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are automatically exported to compatible formats during sync.

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Support

Need help? Contact us:

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Next Steps

Create Your First AI Employee

Set up an AI Employee to use your Google Drive knowledge

Add More Datasources

Combine Google Drive with other data sources

API Integration

Programmatically manage your Google Drive datasources

Deploy Chatbot

Add your AI to your website